Richard Belcher Born: 1766 Franklin County Virginia
Married: #1 Unknown
Married: #2 Usley Hastin, witnesses were Sarah Hughes and Rice Newman
Surety was Sutton Hastin, Rev. John Booth read the vows.
Usley Hastin was the Daughter of William Hastings and Sarah.
20-1-1798 Richard had treasury warrant for 28 acres in Washington County Va Turkey Gap Creek.
3-12-1792 Washington County 130 acres, abstract n. Fork of Holstein River adj. heirs of William Fowler Grant 28 page 122
He appeared on the Amelia county Virginia tax list in 1797 and by 2 May 1818 we found him in Wilson County Tennessee buying 100 acres on Hickman Creek bought from William Cartwright for $300. Wilson County deed book page 96
25 Dec 1821 he sold land to James Wood for $625 and bought two tracts in Smith County.
On September 17, 1825 he bought another 50 acres on the waters of Mulheurn Creek for $250 from Hiram Bruce
In Vol. 3 page 35 of Smith County's Wills and Inventories the will of Richard Belcher is found.( For some reason his name is spelled Belshaw.( Belshaw is one of the several ways that Belcher is spelled.)
In name of God Amen, I RICHARD BELSHAW of Smith County and State of Tennessee, being in a low state of health though sound of mind and disposing memory and calling to mind that it is appointed for all men to die, do make this my last Will and Testament in the manner and form as follows that is to say:
ITEM 1st: My will and desire is to sell one cherry folding table, one shotgun, one bay horse, all my flock of sheep except ten head, a suffiency of my cattle that will pay all my just debts.
Item 2nd: My wish and desire is to give my daughter TABEY BELSHAW, wife of ISAAC BELSHAW five dollars and to my son ISAAC BELSHAW five dollars, and to my son SUTTON BELSHAW five dollars and my daughter REBECCA ELLIS, wife of JAMES ELLIS five dollars and to my daughter PRUDANCE ELLIS, wife of Robert ELLIS five dollars, and to my son THOMAS BELSHAW five dollars, and to my son JOHN BELSHAW five dollars and one brown mare called Nell, and one saddle and bridle and one bed and furniture.
Item 3rd: My wish and desire is that all my household and kitchen and all my stock of cattle and sheep ant heretofore named for sale and hogs, all my plantation utensils, one grey mare all to be kept together on the planation whereon I now live for the support on my six children by my last wife -- namely: LIVELY, MARTHA, WILLIAM, USLEY, JACOB and RICHARD, until time that either of my above named children should marry and should want their part and then it all to be equally divided between the six above named children except that my daughter LIVELY is not to have any part of the grey mare or her increase.
Item 5th. My wish and desire is that one grey colt be sold and the proceeds to buy a side saddle for the use of my daughters until the last one of them should marry and then for her to have the saddle.
Item 6th. My wish and desire is that my son RICHARD BELSHAW shall have 35 acres off the tract of land whereon I now live to be taken off the east end so as to enclude the dwelling house and the whole of the balance of my land to be equally divided between my two sons WILLIAM and JACOB according to quantity and quality and last of all my wish and desire is that my confidential friend Little B Hughes, Sr. shall act as my Executor to this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all others heretofore made. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 19th day of October 1827
Richard Belshaw
Signed acknowledge in the presence of us, Vincent Simmons , jt ; John Johnson, jt.
State of Tennessee Smith County Court, November 6, 1829 -- the last Will and Testament of RICHARD BELSHAW, deceased was produced in open court and the Executor thereof duty proven by the oaths of Vincent Simmons and John Johnson Witnesses thereto and motion ordered to be recorded. Recorded Feb. 10, 1830.
In a book titled " Trousdale County Tennessee History" in an article written by Walter Buckingham the following is found, " The Belcher family made the journey from Virginia to Wilson County, TN by covered wagon. The men and older children walked and helped drive and care for the live stock. The women and small children rode in the wagon. Fire was carried in an iron kettle hung on the side of the wagon. When camp was made at the end of the day fire was built from these coals. In the morning after the morning meal a fresh Supply of coals were put in the kettle for that days journey. The entire journey took almost a full month."
According to the Richard's Will:
His children are as follows:
First Wife:
Isaac Belcher
Tabitha Belcher
Sutton Belcher
Rebecca Belcher
Prudence Belcher
Thomas Belcher
John Richard Belcher
6 Children by Second Wife
Lively Belcher (dau)
Martha Belcher
William Floyd Belcher
Usley Belcher
Jacob Belcher
Richard Belcher
Children by #1 Wife:
1..... Isaac Belcher born:Virginia
Married: Tabitha Webster and Lucy Chandler, surety was Richard Belcher
2.....Prudence Belcher
was born in Amelia County, Virginia 1790.
Married Robert Ellis 1820. Infomation on marriage is found in Marriages of Wilson County Tenn.
James Ellis Was bestman
3.....Tabitha (Tabey)Belcher
Married Isaac Belcher date unknown. Isaac was born in Virginia About 1773.
4.....Sutton E. Belcher listed Wilson County Census 1860 age 66
Married: Abigail Ellis recorded 1860 wilson County Tenn Census age age 65
5....Thomas Belcher
"Thomas Belcher, a native of Tennessee, , removed from Smith County in 1847
to Logan County, Ky. In 1854, he came to Butler County, where he died in November, 1862.
His father was Richard Belcher. Thomas (subject's father) married Mary Gill, of Tennessee (born in 1809,
and died in 1868),
6.....Rebecca Belcher was born in Virginia . Married James Ellis in Wilson County, Tennessee, January 5, 1818. Martin Tally was the best man
7.....John Belcher
Married #1 Armilla Swinney,January 25, 1832 in Wilson County Tennessee.
Married #2 Malinda Tennessee Terry, December 17, 1845 in Trousdale Co. TN.
John Richard Belcher born in Virginia . He came to Wilson County, Tennessee and lived on the headwaters of Cedar Creek until about 1840 when he moved to Providence in what was to become the ninth civil district of Trousdale County. He bought 102 1/4 acres from William W. Calhounon Jan 12, 1856.
He earned his living by farming. He was a Justice of the Peace for many years in Trousdale County. He served in the first session of the Trousdale County Court when it met for the first time, the first Monday in September 1870.
His first wife, Amarilla Swinney died about 1840 or 1845. After her death he married Malinda Tennessee Terry on December 17, 1845.
Children By Second Wife
8.....William Floyd Belcher Virgina
Married: #1 Sally Elizabeth Kingery b: 1790
Married: #2 Elizabeth Lambert Married: 26 Feb 1857
9.....Isham Belcher
Rodney Rausch another Researcher on the Richard Belcher of Tennessee Line
He has Isham Belcher listed as one of the children. Although Isham was not mentioned in the will.
10...Lively Belcher
11.....Martha Belcher
12.....Usley Belcher
13.....Jacob Belcher
14.....Elizabeth Belcher was born 1805. She married Robert McCune date unknown.
not mentioned in will
15.....
Richard G Belcher was born in Smith County, Tennessee July 7, 1826. Richard died January 2, 1908 at 81 years of age. His body was interred date unknown in Verilla, Warren County, Tennessee, Bascom.
Married: Nancy Margaret Paty, 20 Dec 1848 Smith County Tennessee.
A listing on Nov 18 1905 states:" Mrs Richard Belcher died Thursday evening, 16 NOv 1905 at her home near viola, her remains were buried at the Vervilla Cem/, she was 73 years old.